Abel to Yzerman

I slept well. Thank you for asking me. And I woke up content. Well, not content…but I did wake up optimistic. Nick Cotsonika (@cotsonika) ripped us pretty good yesterday. He said we were spoiled, that Kenny Holland deserves the “benefit of the doubt”, that we should give him the credit he deserves for ‘08, for simply getting to Game 7 in ‘09 and even for making offers to Suter and Parise. In turn, I called him an elitist MSM and Ken Holland’s BFF, which I think is frowned upon in both GM and reporter circles.

Cotsonika may have been right. We (I) may have been tough on Holland yesterday, especially when you consider how much work remains today and the rest of the summer.

I just don’t like the mainstream media shaking their heads at us and scolding fans for having opinions. You’re not the boss of me, Nick.

And, don’t forget, Cotsonika covered the Wings as a Digger for the Freep from ‘99 to ‘05. He knows “spoiled” Wing fans when he sees them, eh? Well, that’s nice. I know a thing or two about Diggers and how hard they pushed back when Scott Bowman had the reigns in Hockeytown. In other words, not at all. That whole “protect the organization” stance is ingrained in the Wing beat writers and, obviously, Cotsonika hasn’t lost that instinct.

So, tell me I’m spoiled and chide me for not giving Holland his precious “benefit”, but do it from a bar stool and not your vaunted Yahoo ivory tower but only in 140 characters or less.

As fired up as I still am about a journalist reprimanding me for having an opinion, I’ve softened a bit on Tootoo. And before we get into this, no…my criticism of this deal has nothing to do with the guy’s personal life. It has everything to do with how he’s conducted himself on the ice, against the Wings, and it probably has a lot more to do with those pathetic whistles.

But those won’t be a problem in Detroit, will they? No, I don’t think so.

Tootoo will not score. He will run people. He’ll “hunt” as our Uncle Mike likes to say. We like that too. He can hunt with Helm. He’ll make people nervous, us included. If he’s not dealt, and I don’t think he will be, I think we might be looking at a player who becomes very popular very soon. I do trust Ken Holland and my Uncle Mike on this one. I do not like Jordin Tootoo. Not one bit, but I can get there. Plus—and this according to some well-crafted commentary at Dirk Hoag’s blog—he signed for less than what Nashville offered him to stay there. That’s just funny.

Bubba’s getting seriously angsty. Tootoo to the Wings. Suter? All twenty fans will completely melt down if we get both.

The number being thrown out there for Suter is 90 million over 12. George talked about it late last night and you’ve already read it so I’m not going to the effort to cut and paste. Here’s what I’ll tell you…I don’t care. It’s Monopoly money at this point. If it gets us Suter, the smart kids will do what they have to in order to get us under the Cap in time to start the season whenever it is that Little Gary lets us have a season.

And I reacted to the reports yesterday that Parise is a lock to the Pens. Maybe he is, but I’m not as convinced this morning. Yesterday I was positive he’d be right next to Rosby for the next ten. I still believe that’s likely, but I have a glimmer of hope he could end up here or anywhere but Pittsburgh. I’m curious about this: how excited is Parise about playing with the Pens when/if their “captain” goes down hard (again) and he’s left with the task of stroking Malkin’s ego, constantly reminding the malcontent that he’s the guy and that Parise’s just happy to be next to the guy who’s the guy whenever the real guy is hurt.

Ken Holland’s done some strange things the last two weeks. Brunner, all these excess parts, the public declaration for Schultz. All coinciding with a real need for improvement and a real opportunity to make it big-time in Suter and Parise. I’m not sold on giving him Cotsonika’s precious “benefit” but I’m starting to get a feeling there are plans in place that I’ll never be smart enough to understand. Somebody’s being sneaky and I absolutely dig that.

Comments

I don’t feel bad for the Holland criticism at all, nor should any of us. How many big deals has Holland done since 2002? He has had a core here from the beginning which has allowed him to add complimentary pieces and reclaimation projects ala Cleary and Sammy. Now with Lidstrom gone (and Stuart and Raffi), his core a bit older and a ton of cap space to play with we’ll see if he’s worthy of all the accolades. I am not a Holland basher, just one who thinks he’s a bit over rated. One thing is for sure, he has always been a bit too conservative for my liking, not one to think outside the box. This more than any other summer, is the chance to prove me wrong.

Posted by
booyah!
from chicago on 07/02/12 at 10:23 AM ET

Getting ready to bow down again to the master manager. Indeed let us soon repent and have our complete faith restored in the one…...we .......call…......tick…....tock…...tick tock…..

Holy Crap! You’ve softened in less than 24hrs on little baby poopoo??? I vomit a little in my mouth just thinking about him in a winged wheel.

Today’s the day, Kenny. Make me feel dirty for doubting you.

- Amen to that.

Posted by
Hoser
from Downer Peninsula, Michigan on 07/02/12 at 10:33 AM ET

Like you, Chief, I woke up this morning hating the Tootoo signing a little less, for all the reasons you said. (And thanks for mentioning that his personal life should have nothing to do with it.)

And we wait still. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

No opinions from me about Tick Tock until it’s all done and we have our roster set.

Posted by
MsRedWinger
from the State where Tigers roam in the Spring on 07/02/12 at 10:37 AM ET

I am not a Holland basher, just one who thinks he’s a bit over rated. One thing is for sure, he has always been a bit too conservative for my liking, not one to think outside the box. This more than any other summer, is the chance to prove me wrong.
Posted by booyah! from chicago on 07/02/12 at 08:23 AM ET

This ^^^^

The thing aboot Tootoo is who’s gonna fight when he starts running guys and the opposing team’s toughie starts throwing fists? Tootoo is not afraid to drop ‘em but he’s about as good at it as Abdelkader and Bertuzzi. I suppose it’s neither here nor there though as there’s very few Chris Neil types out there to try and get.

Posted by
Vladimir16
from Grand River Valley on 07/02/12 at 10:41 AM ET

I dig the William Tell signing. Over/under for his shot being “off the glass”, you gotta think at least 80.

I don’t like Tootoo. Hell, I was happy the Wings signed Bert with all his baggage.

Holland? The jury is still out. He, like everyone, earns his money by winning. He just has to sign a top-pair “D” or the Wings are totally screwed (I guess the brass are “hoping” someone in the organization is ready for 2 pair minutes?).

Chief was right yesterday when he said: “Are the Wings better than last years team (that lost in the 2nd round 4-1)?”

The thing aboot Tootoo is who’s gonna fight when he starts running guys and the opposing team’s toughie starts throwing fists? Tootoo is not afraid to drop ‘em but he’s about as good at it as Abdelkader and Bertuzzi. I suppose it’s neither here nor there though as there’s very few Chris Neil types out there to try and get.

Posted by Vladimir16 on 07/02/12 at 08:41 AM ET

As long as he beats the piss out of Steve Ott everytime we play Dallas I’ll consider the best signing of the summer…

Seriously, Tootoo was the last person on earth I expected Tick Tock to sign.

From Savage at MLive:

In 486 career games with Nashville, Tootoo had 46 goals, 79 assists and 725 penalty minutes. That’s an average of 91 PIM per season.

Just hope those aren’t bad penalty minutes, like Savage mentioned Tootoo had a tendency taking. Hope he doesn’t make Bert’s bad penalties look good in comparison. He had 30 pts last year which isn’t bad for a 4th line agitator. 1.9 per that is coming his way seemed a little high, but if he accepted less to come here, more power to him.

Tootoo:

“A few teams were interested and Mr. Holland made a quick phone call,” Tootoo said. “I thought this was the best opportunity for me to win a Stanley Cup. Ultimately, that’s my goal and I feel the Red Wings are right there.

“It was a pretty spontaneous decision.”

This. He obviously knew that Smashville were one hit wonders and have never been able to get past the 2nd round. At least he has some sense.

I basically got my head taken off for not “coming around” to the Tootoo signing. It isn’t just the main stream media that is perhaps a little too quick to defend Holland, but I think it is based of a love and respect we all hold for our home team.

We want them to do well and make good decisions and deals that make the team better and we all have our thoughts on what those decisions and deals are. For some of us Jordin Tootoo is a bad decision we’re unhappy about. That’s certainly how I feel.

For some people, love and respect never come with criticism. The Red Wings make a decision and you fall in line and support that decision. For some people, criticism is okay as long as you’re not criticizing them. And for some of us, criticism is okay and expected.

I don’t think I’m ever going to be okay with Jordin Tootoo in a Red Wings jersey. Not because of off-ice problems but because of on-ice. Although if the off-ice problems LEAD to on-ice problems, that’s another matter.

Babcock wanted 22. Babcock knows hockey, and he doesn’t give a rip about whether the fans hate a player. As a pro, these guys can go from one hated rival team to another, and nobody on either team even thinks twice. It is business.
Remember Chelios?

Kenny is a genius. Everybody knew he was going after Parise & Suter. What they did not expect was that Holland was going to go way over the cap to load up on secondary talent. This provides a backup plan in case the big 2 do not come to Detroit, and gives him lots of options for trading (molding his team) after the dust settles.

In Kenny We Trust, but this is Gary’s World. We’re more likely to start the season with $12 million in cap space that Kenny will sit on at the deadline and a roster full of third liners then we are to have Suter and/or Parise. There’s two of them and at least five teams that want both.

Posted by
monkey
from my dumbphone on 07/02/12 at 11:42 AM ET

The Wings have to have at least one reclamation project on the team, right? If Tootoo can get his shit together, he’ll be a great grinder.

I’m not crazy about the Tootoo signing, but I am warming up to it a bit. The Wings could use some grit. We saw how frustrated Jimmy Howard got on a regular basis, because he got ran all the time and there was never any reciprocity. Tootoo can change that. You wanna run Jimmah? That’s ok, we’ve got a brick shithouse of a man we can push into your goalie as well. Game on. He isn’t my favorite person, but I don’t hate the edge he brings.

Not to mention, his attitude and comments since being signed gives me the impression that he understands the honor of playing for the WIngs. I dig that.

As for Sammy being back. His over-shooting ass used to drive me crazy, but I’ll that over someone who is afraid to shoot the puck. Good riddance Jiri.

I love the Gustavsson pickup.

I do have a hair brained idea though. I’ve been in CBJ-land for so long and they love gimmick players. Jodi Shelley and Jared Boll are minor deities around here, and the CBJ management lives for cheap applause. Could the Tootoo pickup have been an enticement for a Nash to DET trade? I kind doubt Kenny would get someone to sign on a smaller contract and then trade him (not the organ-i-zation’s m/o), but I do have to wonder.

Posted by
bezukov
from the kids are alright. on 07/02/12 at 11:48 AM ET

My mom had 5 kids and loved them all,equally. The brilliant, successful, and modest to a fault one (yours truly), and all the rest of those alcoholics and religious nuts that darken my memory, but thankfully not my door.

By the time the season rolls around, I’m sure that I’ll learn to tolerate Tootoo, maybe even love him just a little, just like my Mom did with my alcoholic brother in Duluth.

This morning, though, it still feels like the morning after the nights my brother drunk dialed me 8 times, starting at 3 AM. Not happy aboot it one damn bit.

Posted by
stonehands-78
from the beginning ... a WingsFan, on 07/02/12 at 11:52 AM ET

Somebody’s being sneaky and I absolutely dig that.

Spot on. The last 10 days have been furiously strange, from McGuire’s draft night Crosby/Parise proclamation to the Parros/Tootoo discourse last night between Garth and an IPA-fueled Vladdie.

Hope this is me during lunch today as I look out the window in wonder reflecting on the good Greek man who made those pizzas for me while running two top flight professional sports organization’s in my hometown:
(that’s Suter on the left, Parise on the right)

30 Points. 30. Scratched from a Nashville team because they scored a freebie player who should never have got on the plane from Russia.

Friends with Helm, needs to go to a team to redeem himself. I’ll tell you whether he’s any good at christmas.

The only thing I haven’t checked, or seen, or bothered to know, its a 2 way contract right? So he will have to fight for his place with Tatar/Brunner etc? It is? Isn’t it? Please?

Posted by
jimathor
from The land of Sir Humblepatch of Bumblehound on 07/02/12 at 12:11 PM ET

Posted by bezukov from Nasburgum delenda est. on 07/02/12 at 09:48 AM ET

I’m really going to laugh hard at my stomach if Hudler re-signs for somewhere around $3.5m.

REALLY hard.

People complain about not putting enough pucks in the net, and Hudler scored the 2nd most in the regular season and tied for the most in the playoffs.* Yeah, I get that everyone wants a 6’2, right-handed shooting sneaky *#$%@& Russian, but at what point do people realize that Hudler is/was paid VERY fairly for what he brings/brought to the table?

Posted by RedMenace from the darkest recesses on 07/02/12 at 10:11 AM ET

Because if I had to through another season of “Don’t bottle, just SHOOT THE DAMN THING”, I would’ve had an embolism. $3.5 is probably fair and I loved the guy before he went to Russia, but it took too long for him to adjust. Bring back William Tell, I liked the guy before, I like him now, he’s Hudler but with added grit. Straight swap.

Posted by
jimathor
from The land of Sir Humblepatch of Bumblehound on 07/02/12 at 12:15 PM ET

We cheer for the logo, not the player. Tootoo once hated, will now be loved here. Guaransheed.

My mom had 5 kids and loved them all,equally. The brilliant, successful, and modest to a fault one (yours truly), and all the rest of those alcoholics and religious nuts that darken my memory, but thankfully not my door.

By the time the season rolls around, I’m sure that I’ll learn to tolerate Tootoo, maybe even love him just a little, just like my Mom did with my alcoholic brother in Duluth.

This morning, though, it still feels like the morning after the nights my brother drunk dialed me 8 times, starting at 3 AM. Not happy aboot it one damn bit.

Posted by dougie on 07/02/12 at 09:49 AM ET

There are many, many things I love about this comment. One of my all-time favorites.

Posted by
IwoCPO
from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 07/02/12 at 12:16 PM ET

Posted by jimathor from Southampton, UK. on 07/02/12 at 10:15 AM ET

Hell, bring back Hudler and put him and Sammy with Flip on a line for a 2008 reunion tour.

I am all in for Tootoo. There is no alternative at this point. And, Gramps and Chief, the reason I disliked the signing yesterday was not because he has been an opponent of the Wings and played us chippy. I’m mature, err, old enough to look past that. Two years ago when almost everyone here was hating Doan I said I’d take him in a minute on the Wings, and still would.

I dig adding someone with grit and agitation. I don’t dig adding someone who plays as if there’s no puck on the ice. Offense? Maybe.

Improved player? That’s why Nashville had him in street clothes for 7 out of 10 playoff games, you know, games that really count? I saw 2 of his 4 penalties in his 21 minutes of playoff ice time, and they were the same stupid stuff he’s always done, 100 feet from the puck making a mindless bee line at someone, skating in the opposite direction as the puck.

But if Kenny says he’s ours? Then he’s ours.

We signed a Retread and a Retard. But he’s our retard now. I’ll cheer that little bowlng ball when he’s running people legally, and hope he’s right when he says he’s become a more mature and better player. So good he played 22 playoff minutes in 10 games for Nashville.

With the glut of forwards it’s way early to even guess what the roster will be in October, but at least publicly they’re touting Tootoo as an essential element of the team, so I’m all in.

The only thing I haven’t checked, or seen, or bothered to know, its a 2 way contract right?

For 3 years at $1.9M? Not a chance.

Not happy with Tootoo at all. I’m full willing to repent if he turns he *#$%@& act around and plays a cleaner game. 35 lbs of silver next summer will go a long way toward easing my anger. But right now I only see a player who will hurt the Wings with his play, and hurt the reputation of the team in the eyes of the skill guys we try to persuade to sign. All this for nearly as much as Helm makes in a guy who sat most of the playoffs.

I’m all for a bit more of a rough edge game. Sammy’s mere presence has always pissed off other teams, and I’m cool with that. We get a guy chirping constantly and getting under guy’s skin like Maltby used to, that’s great too. But what I don’t want is a guy flying around on the ice hitting people high, throwing elbows, and running people form behind regardless of where the puck is. It puts his teammates in a bad spot having to defend the bullshit even when they know better, and it’s going to result in painful penalties that will cost us.

There is one point I agree with however. I don’t care about his personal problems off ice. Those are his demons to battle and as long as they don’t get in the way of his play or the team, I have no issue with it.

Thinking back on it, it took me years to warm to Chelios, and only about 3 or 4 months before I climbed onto the Bertuzzi bandwagon. I must be getting old…or senile, because TooToo? I’m indifferent, except to say that with the departure of #5 and the addition of #22, doesn’t it seem like this team just went Dark Side?

Still, fans may hate him now, but wait until we play the Pens and he singlehandedly starts “Crosbywatch 2013” . When that happens, the Joe will be full of those idiot whistles and they’ll be serving blubber on a stick at any of the concession stands.

Posted by RedMenace from the darkest recesses on 07/02/12 at 10:11 AM ET

1.) I get what you’re saying man. Jiri wasn’t all bad. But just think…. How many times last season did you see Hudler defer on a golden opportunity to shoot? It had to be 10 times throughout the season. I don’t need a guy to be a giant on skates, but for christ’s sake can you stop playing afraid and shoot?

I know this is gross speculation, but when you think about how the Wings slid from first place back to fifth last season… well, we could have used those goals. I know you can’t place the blame for the Wings backslide solely on Hudler, but having a guy with a more attuned killer instinct won’t hurt one bit.

2.) We’re gonna have to take the good with the bad relative to Sammy, just as we did with Hudler. I just feel there is more good with Sammy than with Hudler and I like the change.

3.) This is the second time Hudler has chosen a bigger payday over his teammates. Thats his right of course, but thats also un-Red Wing-like. I’m not gonna lose a wink over him walking.

Posted by
bezukov
from the kids are alright. on 07/02/12 at 01:30 PM ET

About Abel to Yzerman

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